Improvement in machines for cutting the teeth of metal gears



2Sheets-SheetL W. GLEASON.

MACHINES FOR CUTTING THE TEETH 0F METAL GEARS. N0.175,859. Patented April 11, 1876.

i Invania r z N PETBiS, FKOTOLITMOORAPHER, WASHINGTON. 0 C.

Z Sheets*-Sheet Z.

W. GLEASON. MAcHIEEs EoE CUTTING THE TEETH 0F METAL GEARS. No-175f359r Patented April 11, 1876.

it PEIERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D c.

UNITED STAT PATENT 92m WILL TAM GLEASON, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF HIS RIGHT TO THE KIDD non-won s COMPANY, or SAME PLACE. f

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING THE TEETH 0F METAL GEARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 175,859, dated 'April 11, 1876; application filed l l 1 April17, 1875.

being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention,

fly looking in the direction of the arrow 1 in Fig; 2. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is an inverted view of the swinging slide D, looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in 'Fig. 1, the section being on the dotted line to in the same. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the cylindrical support E and semicylindrical shell P, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 1, the section being on the dotted line 00 in the same. Fig. 5is a view of a portion of the copying mechanism, look-, ing in the direction of the arrow at in Fig. 2, the section being on the dotted line 3/ in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the swivel toolstock m, lookingin the direction of the arrow 5 in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is an elevation of the toolstock m, lookin g in the direction of the arrow 6 in Fig. 1. Fig. Sis a sectional elevation of a portion of the bed-plate F and stud e, the section being on the dotted line 2 in Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is a somewhat larger scale. ,5 It is well understoodby persons versed inx a view, showing the spherical crank-pin f, with a portion of the connecting-rod a. Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation of a hanger, (1,; counter-shalt H, &c. Fig. 11- is an elevation of averticalcutter-spindle, W. Figs. 6, 7, 8, and

11 are drawn to a scale double the size of that: of the first five figures andFig. 9 is drawn to,

gearing that while the teeth of spur-gears may be correctly formed by the revolving cutters as used-in the ordinary gear-cutter, those of bevel-gears can be only indifl'erently-well formed by the same means. The error in the teeth of bevelgears cut in this manneris serious, in causin gthem to rattle when run at a moderately-high speed, to crowd and run hard and in subjecting them to an uneven Wear. It is also well understood that in a correctly-cut toothof abevel-gear every line truly drawn along the surface of either face, or thepoint of the same,or bottom of the space between the teeth, should tend toward a common cen-- tral point lying in the plane of theaxis of the gear. To produce a machine that will thus correctly cut the teeth ofbevehgears is the object of my invention but it is equally well calculated to cut the teeth from blanks by first grooving the blank around to the proper depth for the spaces, and then giving to the faces of the teeth the desired curvature.

In the drawings, A, Figs. land 2, is abedpiece, upon which a saddle, B,is secured in such a manner as to permit of longitudinal adjustment on the bed, and upon this saddle.

a head-stock O, is similarly attached, its adjustments, however, being lateral, or at right angles to those of the saddle. These adjustmen ts are effected and governed by means of the hand-wheels and screws Ik. J is a horizontal spindle, journaled, near the top of the posts I of the head-stock O, to which is fitted the gear,

K to be cut, and at the other end of said spindle some suitableindexing apparatus, L, is attached. O is an extension-piece, reaching out from the side of, and rigidly fastened to, the

head-stock O, forming a support for various parts of the machine; and F is a bed-plate,

provided with parallel slots in its upper surface, lying upon the extension-piece O, to which it is fastened by the studs, Fig. 1, ex tending down through the slots 72, Fig.2, of the said piece 0.

. The upright cylindrical support Eis rigidly fixed to the stationarybed-piece A, and has its upper end faced on, and its center bored 'shell P, having its foot resting in a step at a.

tis ahorizontalshaftpassing centrally.through the boss Spin which it has its bearing,.an.d is driven, in the working machines, .bya: belt running upon a cone-pulley keyed to theouter end of the shaft t,.in; placeof the crank'U, Figs. 1 and2. qand g ,Fig. at, are bevel; or miter gears engaging each other, keyed rein the same, forms acrank having an adjusta ble throw. The block u is held at any desired position of adjustment in the hub s by the set-screw 'v. D, Figs. 1 and 2,is a swinging slide provided with the dovetailed ways 4' attached to the top of the shell P by a horizontal hinge-joint, o, by means of which it may swing in a vertical plane, or laterally in a horizontal plane, by means of the bearing the shell P has upon thesupport E. Tis a sliding saddle carrying the tool-stocks m and m sliding upon the ways 1'. a is a rod connecting the crank-pin f with the saddle T, by means of the stud e reaching down from the same, through the slot 11. in the swinging slide D, as

shownin Figs. 3 and 5.

By means of this connection, the saddle T is made to reciprocate upon its ways, as the crank s revolves, and the length of its reciprocal motion is regulated by changing the throw of the crank, which is effected by means of the above mentioned sliding block u. The head 0 of the stud e is fitted to acorresponding longitudinal slot cut in the under side of the saddle T, along which it may be moved, and fastened at pleasure by loosening the nut j As the stud e is made to occupy different positions along said slot, the saddle T is caused to make its reciprocations nearer to or farther from the common center 0, Fig. 2, this being rendered necessary in cutting bevel gears of different diameter. The connecting-rod a has its hearing at one end upon the spherical portion j of the nut, as shown in Fig. 5, and at the other end upon the spherical crank-pin f, Fig. 9, which allows it to take the different positions rendered necessary by the upward and downward movements of the slide D, while following the curve of the tooth being out, without undue friction or cramping. The toolstock m, carrying the cutting-tool n Fig. 2, is mounted upon the upright cylindrical post 0 Figs. 1 and 6, rising from and forming part of the dovetailed slide-block m by which it has a swivel movement. The small stud 6 inserted in the said slide block, and standing upright and within the vertical slot a cut in the tool-stock m, Figs. 2 and 6, forms a stop by which this motion is arrested when the said tool-stock is at either of the two positions indicated by the full and dotted lines shown in Fig. 6. The slide block m with the tool-stock m, is moved horizontally across the saddle T, by the hand-wheel b and the said tool-stock is capable of .being raised and lowered upon the post 6 by means of the hand-wheel k h Figs. 1 and 2, is a spring-barrel supported from the slide D, to which it is detachably connected by the bracket 1 The horizontal tripping-rod a is supported in said springbarrel, and provided near one end with the adjustable dogs 0 and 0 These dogs are to be so adjusted upon the rod, that as the. sad- .0 along the slot h.

dle ,T is carried back by the connecting-rod to fthe=position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, the pin-'8 projecting from the tool-stock m, is brought in contact with the dog 0 causing "the said tool-stock to swing on its above-described bearing, until one wall of the slot 01. is brought against the stud 0. This brings the cutting-tool n intoposition for the succeeding out. And when the saddle has advanced to the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, the said pin 8 as shown in dotted lines at 8 is brought in contact with the dog 0 turning the tool-stock the other .way, which trips the cutting-tool,as.shown at W, or throws it out so as not to rub the tooth in its backward movement. The shock of the successive contacts between the pin s and the dogs 0 0 is cushioned bythe spiral springs contained within the spring-barrel h pressing against the sides of the collar 6. This collar is adjustably attached to the rod a by means of the set-screw o.

i, Figs. 1, 2, and 5, is a copying-form, held in the rest a, which is detachably connected to the bed-plate F. c is a V-shaped hardened-steel rider, firmly held in the bracket a which is bolted to the under side of the slide D, and said rider presses upon the hardened curved face of the form t, by the weight of the swinging slide D. As the latter is moved in the direction of the arrow 7 by the feed-works, hereafter described, the rider a closely follows the curve of the form, causing the cuttingtool to faithfully copy the same, at a reduced scale, upon the face of the tooth being planed.

To lessen friction, and for other purposes, it may be desirable to substitute a small hardened roll, to follow the form 1', instead of the fixed rider, as shown.

I design to provide several forms similar to i of various curvatures and sizes, either. of which may be fastened vin the rest 0 and copied, as gears of different shaped and sized teeth may be required.

It is evident that, as to size, the forms must bear the same proportion to the size of the large end of the teeth-for instance, that the distance between the form and center 0 bears to the distance between the large end of the tooth and center c.

9 Figs. 1, 3, and 4, is a combined spur and bevel gear, revolving upon the fixedstud 0. The spur-teeth of this gear engage with the teeth of the gear g, keyed to the shaft R, while the bevel teeth engage with the teeth of the bevel gear 9 keyed to the horizontal shaft 25 This drives the feed-crank s and feed-rod a; p, Figs. 1 and 2, is a pawl, operated by the feed-rod a which engages with the teeth of the gear g Figs. 1, 2, and 3. This, in turn, drives the gear 9 the motion of which may be regulated at pleasure by moving the stud The sleeve to which the gear 9 is keyed,-extending through the boss 1?, Figs. 2 and 3, is threaded internally, to fit the screw T and in the slotted head 1" of the latter the strap Wis pivoted. The other end any part of the said slot by loosening the thumb nut '5 As the gear or nut g is caused to turn in either direction, either automatically by the pawl in feeding, or by the hand- Wheel b the slideD is made to swing lateral- 1y upon its vertical axis 0, carrying the cut ting-tool n to or from the work, and also up or down on its horizontal axis o-by the rider 0 following the form t, thus giving the desired contour to the face of the teeth as they are being planed off. This arrangement of the gears g and g for the feed is preferable, though it' may be convenient to dispense with the gear g and have the pawl work directly against the teeth of the gear 9 Great care is used in the construction of the working machines to have the horizontal and vertical axes of the swinging slide D meet in a common point, representedat c, Fig. 2, and

l to form a right angle; to have the horizontal axis of the same and the axis of the spindle J in the same horizontal plane; and in setting the cutting-tool W to have the point of the same so adjusted as to be on a line with the, center 0, and in the same horizontal plane of the horizontal axis 0 of the slide D. Then, in whatever position the swinging slide D may be, the direction of motion 'of the cutting, point of the tool a when movingforward will? at all times be toward the point 0.

The slide D is capable of swinging through a horizontal arc of ninety degrees by means of the shell P turning upon'its bearing on the cylindrical support E--that-i s,'it occupies a position, represented by the dbtted outline D.

- in Fig. 2, parallel to the spindle J when cuttingthe teeth of a spur-gear, or out at a right angle from said spindle when cutting the teeth of a crown-gear, or at an intermediate position when cutting the teeth of miter or bevelgears. At the joint between the support E and shell P, commencing at a point directly under-the axis 0, the convex surface of the shell P is graduated a fourth of the way around in degrees of. the circle, a corresponding zeropoint being marked on the contiguous surface of the support E. The slide D stands in a position parallel to. the spindle J when the two zero-points coincide. The axis of motion of the crank 8 being identical with the vertical axis of the slide D, and the axis of the feedcrank -s being parallel with the horizontal axis 0 of the same, the connecting-rod a and feed-rod at will work equally well in whatever position the said slide D may be. When cutting the teeth of crown or very flat bevel gears with the slide D swung out at, or nearly to, a right angle with the spindleJ a second extension-piece (not shown) is employed, reaching out from the bed-plate F to hold the form t in a proper position.

In operating my invention, when planing the teeth of a bevel or crown gear the gear K to be planed is fitted on a taper-mandrel, in-

serted in the end of the spindle J in the ordinary manner, and brought bythe handwheels I and 70 into a position so that the axis of the spindle and the line passing through i the outer and inner pitch circles of the teeth, represented by dotted line from n to c, Fig. 2,) shall both tend toward the center 0. The slide D is swung out to correspond with the angle of the bevel, the crank s adjusted to the required throw,- and the saddle T brought into place by adjusting the stud 6, so that the cutting-tool will move each way slightly beyond the ends of the teeth to be planed. The-cutting-point of the tool a, which inclines downward, is brought on an exact level with the horizontal axis 0 of the slide D by the handwheel 70, and extended beyond the edge of the,

- said slide to the same distance the center 0 is therefrom by the hand-wheel b. The dogs 0 and 0 are adjusted to trip the tool properly at each end of the stroke. The stud c is fastened at the proper plaeein a slot in plate F, the strap r looped thereon, and the copyingform 11 carefully set. A tooth to be planed being indexed into posi tion,the machine is ready to operate. The tool commences its cut at the point of the tooth and the feedaintermittingly at each successive stroke, carries it thence toward the root of the same, planing off the face of the tooth, the form t'being copied on the same as the 'tooh advances. When the toolhas'reaehed the oot of the tooth the pawl 19 is "thrown backliythe attendant, and the slide D brought Bank to the starting-point by the hand-wheel I). The next tooth being indexed into position the operation is repeated, and so on till the corresponding face ofevery tooth of the gear is planed. If, as is-often the case, both faces of the teeth are to be planed, a tool with its point turned upward instead of downward, as shown at M, Fig. 7, is used to plane the other face, using a copying-form of reverse curvature from the one shown at 2'. If the teeth are to be out upon a blank, they are first roughed out by cutting slots in the face of the blank in the place of the spaces between the teeth, and to the required depth for the same, after which the faces ofthe teeth are shaped, as above described.

8 Figs. l and 2, is an upright rectangular post forming a part of the dovetailed slideblock m from which it rises, and upon said postthe tool-stock m slides vertically, both of which are moved horizontally across the saddle T by the hand-wheel b t Figs. 1, 2, and 7, is a second copying-form fastened to the upper surface of the saddle T; and c is a hardened steel rider projecting from the side of the tool-stock ml,- and pressed upon the hardened curved. surface of the same by the weight of the said tool-stock m together with the exertionof the serpentine spring 8 As the toolstock is moved by the hand-wheel b, or some suitably-arranged feed, from a position represented at mflFig. 7, in dotted outline, to the position at, (shown in full lines,)

the rider 0 carries the tool-stock and tool a gradually upward, the latter tracing the outline of the face of a spur-tooth, as shown in dotted lines. The tool-stock 112), form 2', &c., as above described, together form an attachment designed to be used when cutting the teeth of spur-gears.

To operate my invention for this purpose the rest 0 Figs. 1, 3, and 6, with the form 01, the stud e, and the tool-stock m are removed.

' The head-stock O is moved by the hand-wheel It more nearly over the middle of the bed-piece A, as shown in dotted-lines in Fig. 2. The slidel) is swung around parallel to'the spindle J, as shown in dotted lines at D. The bed-plate F is moved to a position under the same, as shown by the dotted lines F and a post (represented in dotted lines at N in Fig. l) is interposed between the bed-plate F and slide D, to which both are securely bolted, which forms a support for the latter and holds it immovably in a position exactly parallel to the spindle J. The spur-gear K to be cut is titted to the spindle, and indexed and brought to its place by the hand-wheels I and 70, all as in the other case. The cutting-tool, held in this casein the tool-stock m the crank s, and other parts are also adjusted as before described. The feed in this case 1 effect by attaching a ratchet-wheel to the hub of the hand-wheel b and move it by a pawl worked in any ordinary manner; and as the cuttingtool, which commences its out at the point of the tooth, as before, is carried by the feed forward to the root of the same, it copies onto the face of the tooth the form i in exact curvature and size. To plane the other face of the tooth a form of reverse curvature from that of i is employed; or the gear may be put upon the spindle the other side foremost.

To dress the faces of wooden teeth keyed into mortised wheels I design to use a small sharp cutter-head fixed on the end of a rapidly-revolvin g spindle mounted upon a sort of head-stock, as represented in dotted lines at 17 Figs. 1 and 2. This revolving cutter is designed to be operated, in cutting the wooden teeth of spur or bevel gears, in nearly the same manner as the cutting-tools heretofore described are operated in planing the iron teeth of similar wheels. When arranged to dress the teeth of bevel-gears the head-stock carrying the cutter-spindle is substituted for the tool-stock m, and rigidly fastened to a slidel lock similar to m without the post 6 The cutter-head is brought to the same relative position with reference to the center 0 and axis 0 as the point of the cutting-tool n, as

above described. The saddle T, being reciprocated, the revolving-cutter is advanced in successive cuts by the feed, as described in the case of the iron bevel-teeth, from the point to the root of a tooth, copying the curve of the form 6 onto the face of the same,'in the same manner as before described.

To dress the faces of wooden spur-teeth the head-stock carrying the cutter-spindle is fastened to the tool-stock m adjusted and fed as before, copying the form of 2' onto the faces of the teeth, as above described. The reverse faces of the wooden bevel and spur teeth are cut by the same cutter-head, forms of reverse curvature being used.

I prefer to run this cutter-spindle by a round belt or cord, running on the grooved pulley, shown keyed to said spindle, at a quartertwist, from the large grooved pulley M, shown in section in Fig. l0 on the counter-shaft H. In said figure, B is a circular plate, bolted overhead to the joist or ceiling Q, having a conical ortion B extendin downward through the center of which the vertical shaft R passes and has its bearing,,the headf of the shaft preventing it from dropping out. 9 is a bevel-gear keyed to the shaft R shouldering against the lower end of the cone B which drives the pinion g. This latter is keyed to the end of the horizontal counter-shaft H, which is journaled in the ends of the two arms I) of the hanger G. p is a grooved pulley fastened to the lower end of the shaft R designed to be driven by a round belt, running at a quarter twist from another grooved pulley keyed to the line shaft. The plate B has a circular dovetailed groove cut in its under surface, in which two nuts, 0, are fitted to slide, being dropped into place through the square opening d, cut from the upper surface of the plate-B down through to the said groove. The hanger Gr, having a hole cut through it, is slipped onto the cone B and fastened to the under surface of the plate B by the screws u, passing through the same, and entering the nuts 0. The plate B is intended to be fastened to the ceiling in such a position that the shaft R shall stand vertically over the shaft B in the support E. By loosening the clamping-screws u the hanger G,'with the radial counter-shaft H, may be swung around horizontally, and made to cocupy a position in the same vertical plane as that of the slide D, the nuts 0 sliding in the circular groove, as above described. -At a convenient place the hanger G is graduated in degrees of the circle, corresponding to the graduation on the shell.]?, as above described, by means of which the counter-shaft H and slide D may conveniently be made to occupy a position in the same vertical plane. a is a spline inserted longitudinally in the side of the shaft H, and the pulley M has a corresponding key-way cut in its hub, and is made to slide to any desired position along the shaft,

so as to correspond to the position of the cutter-spindle 19 Fig. 2.

W in Fig. 11 is an upright cutter-spindle, that I prefer to use in dressing the wooden teeth of spur and bevel gears, which is designed to be driven in a manner similar to that of the spindle 19 Fig. 2, as above described. The driving-belt leads from the pulley M, Fig. 10, to the pulley y, approaching and leaving the same horizontally, by passing under the idlers w a is a steel-cutter, inserted I in a mortise cut at a suitable place through the spindle W, the contour of the cutting portion of the same being made to conform to that of a cross-section of the desired space between the teeth of a spur-wheel.

feed-rod a are detached. The revolving cutterm, is brought into a position so that when once passed through between two teeth, it finishes the opposing faces of the sameand the bottom of the space, thus giving to all the teeth of the gear, when finished, the desired shape Without copying a form, as in the other cases.

To dress'the teeth of vbevel gears, a tool represented in dotted lines at n is substituted for the one shown at a which copies theform i and finishes the face of a tooth in successive cuts similarly to the action of the cutter 19 as before described. This cutter a, it will be seen, acts upon but one face ofa tooth ata time. In using the cutter n for cutting through the spaces between the teeth, the saddle T is intended to be pushed along the slide D by hand instead of being reciprocated by the crank s, as in the other cases, though it may be so reeiprocated by giving to the said crank a comparatively slow motion.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The turret and rest D, in combination with the gear-spindle J and its supportingcarriage, when the parts are constructed and arranged substantially as shown, whereby their relative position is rendered adjustable to any desired extent, to adapt the machine to cut or dress spur-gears or bevels of any angles in the same. machine.

2. The combination of the tool-saddle T with the spindle J turret P, and ofi'set-rest D, when thelast three elements are so arranged relatively that their axial lines shall intersect, whereby any vertical or horizontal movement of the cutting-tool shall affect its radial reciproeation with relation to the axis of the gearwheel being operated upon, as set forth.

3. In combination with the pivoted turret P, hinged rest or slide D, and reciprocating tool carriage or saddle T, the connecting or governing strap I W, and adjustable pin 6, whereby, in addition. to its reeiproeations, the cutting-tool may be made to rise or fall or move toward or from the purposes set forth.

4. In combination with the adjustable pin 6 and link or strap 1, the rest D and feed-screw r arranged to operate conjointly, as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In combination with the'pin e, strap 7 feed-screw 1' and slide D, the adjustable pattern-rest i, and tracing follower or rider 0 arranged to operate conjointly as and for'the purposes set forth. Q a

I 6. The adjustable automatic feeding mechanism e e reversible pawl p, and screw 1" in combination with the rest D andpin e, for the purposes set forth.

7. The slide-block m pivoted tool-clampnz stop 6, and pin 8 arranged upon the reciproeating saddle T, in combination with the adjustable stops 0 and 0 all operating conjointly, as and for the purposes set forth.

8. The clamping-collar i, in combination with the springs in the barrel h and rod a whereby the latter is adjustable longitudinally,

and at the same time more or less yielding in both directions.

9. The slide-block m having a movement laterally across the reciprocating saddle T,

tool-stock m rider 0, and spring 8 in con1- bination with the fixed template or pattern 2' and rest D, when all are arranged as specified for cutting or dressing the teeth of spur-gears,

as shown and described.

10. In combination with the horizontallyrevolving crank-arm za-adjustable or otherwise-and spherical wrist-pin f, the pitman a, and rising and falling slide D, for the purposes set forth. p

11. The combination of the tool stock 'or holder m patternplate i and saddle T, with the swinging rest D, when arranged as speeified, for cutting spur gears or wheels;

WILLIAM GLEASON. Witnesses:

E. B. WHITMORE, WM. S. LOUGHBOROUGH.

spindle J, for, the 

